Nonprofits Lobby to Keep Charities Nonpartisan in Final Tax Bill

A coalition of nonprofit organizations has worked for months to oppose repeal of the Johnson Amendment, the provision of tax law enacted in 1954 to prohibit 501c3 organizations, including religious organizations, from endorsing or opposing candidates for public office. Support for the current law and opposition to weakening or repeal is also coming from religious groups and organizations like the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), which “believes the Johnson Amendment is an important safeguard for the charitable sector.”

GiveVoice.org, a website organized by the National Council of Nonprofits, hosts a “Community Letter in Support of Nonpartisanship” that more than 5,500 nonprofit organizations have signed to date. Independent Sector and the Council of Foundations have joined the National Council of Nonprofits in sending a letter signed by the CEOs of all three organizations reiterating their support for keeping tax law as it is and encouraging conferees to not include Section 5201 of the House version of the tax bill in the final conference report.